Drop pit



W; NA ELL Aug. 26, 1930.

DROP PIT Eiled March 5, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l W. NAGELL Aug. 26, 1930.

DROP PIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 5,1928

Aug. 26, 1930;

w. NAGELL 1,773,746

DROP PIT I Filed March 5, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Peg Patented Aug. 26,1930 v siren s WALTER NAGELL; oF- LRvEY; ILLINOIS, Assienon To WHITINGconronernion, or I v HARVEY, ILLINOIS, A'oonrone'rionorinmnols pDROP'PIT I i epmie e s m n 5,

The invention relates to drop pits of the type used in railway shops. JOne object of the invention is to' provide a drop pit with a drop tablehaving ,tWo track sections of uniform gauge thereon each adapted tobridge the pit so that one of the track sections maybe operated intoposition to receive a heeledunit, such asa pair of drivers or atruck, soit maybe separated'iroin the locomotive or railvvay car and lowered intothe pit, and so that a similar-unit for replace mentmay be placed on thesecondLtrack-seetionin' readiness to be transferred into position forattachment. This makes it possible to transfer both unitsSimultaneously, transverselyof the vehicle, and hence to expedite thedelivery of the replacement unit into posi} tion to be elevated intooperative'connection with the vehicle. By providing a drop-table Lofthischaracter, the reinbval and replacing of such units will be greatlyfacilitated. j Another object oflthe inventionis to pro vide animprovedidrop-tab'le' for pits in'yvhich the table is adaptedtoxsupport'a pluralitypf track sections, with means for'securely -fing'the table in its vertical mov 3 V p A still further object of theinvention isto provide improved locking mechanismv for a drop tab'le ofthis type. 1 7 jf fij Otherobjectsojithe invention will appear f v h PfiQat ni The invention "consists in the several novel featureshereinatterset forth'and more particularly defined by the clainisat theconcluv sionhereo f. 1 T In thedrawingszjFig. 1 is a longitudinalsection through a drop pit embodyingth'e invent'on. Fig. 2isaskeletonized plan of the drop table, parts being shown in section.

* 40 Fig.8 is a'transverse section on line 3 3 of;

Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section through one of the vertical guides for thecarriage Fig. 5 is a planet thecarriageffor raising and lower- 'ing andtransporting the drop ftabler Fig; 6 is a perspective of the pit anddrop table. The invention is eXeniplified-fin ta shop jequiprnentcomprising a series of uniform. gauge tracks A under which is formed anin- 7 e ectiilapit' i A dmp. le Fl Secured 5' thereon tt'vo'pairs ofrail-sections "f.- These "f disposed underthe rail sections f'tosupsections f thereon", in "registryTWith the V of the rails forming-twoof the tracks A;

- blocks ,Which rock shaft 12 ,WhlCli extends horizontally 1933 semi No.259,157..

'pailS'fQf railsections f are of uniform gauge and the same gauge as thetracks A and each fonnsa-track section to bridge the pit, to be usedinterchangeably With ther' aforesaid tracks A. Both ofthese tracksections are mounted on a single table F, so that they canbe'simultaneouslyshifted vertically or longitudinally of the pit' andtransverselyof the tracks; The droptable isbui ltupofI-beams port them,channel beams f?, a nd 'connecting beams'f flall of which are suitablyand rigidly se'ciiredtogetherto form a rigidrec tangular structure. Thetable is provided I w '65 Withflooring f between the rails f and at thesides of the outer rail section toi'or n' aplatform overv newbie Thejabl e is provi'ded with suitable locking mechanism to secure it inposition to supportand'retain the. rail ends This table lockingmechanism 1 comprises eight iba'rs f which are disposed approximate-'ly-in verticalaligmnentyvith the rail sections 1 a I .3". The}outeiffends of these, locking bars are adaptedto project from the endsof the table into sockets Z which are'setinto'the jwalls of the pit tolock the table against vertical as Well astran'sverse movelnent tvhendesired; Each locking bar f is' slida'bly guided-in a pair} of arefixedly secured'between jon'eiof the Lbeamsf and a beam f? c'onti'guonsf thereto. ijAll' of the locking bars 7? are simultaneously andconjointly operable by, a 'throu gh the beams 21ml f and is journalledtherein." Four double-armed levers 15 a are fixed to shaft '12 and eachof these levers isfeonnected respectively to,'a' pair of aligned, V'locki'ngfbars f 'by ailpai'r of links 16 in such ini'anner thatrotationof the shaft 12'Willsi} 'multaneously operate all of the bars finto their respective sockets Z orfsimultan'eously' retract them.Operating levers 19 are fixed 'to the outerendsof the shaftlQrespective; ly, so that'the-d'rop tableinayjbe locked or unlocked by theoperator While positionedat either sideof the, 'dropitable. o

This exemplifiespa drop table equipped vvithe phfrality of tra'cksections, andjin v 2 5 tional housings 7L which are fixed to the I motorhtwhichis mounted on bars h fixedly which provision is made for lockingthe table adjacent the ends of all of the rails forming said tracksections to secure properly the table to permit rolling stock to passthereover. V

A truck G for transporting the drop table in the pit and between thetracks comprises a rectangular frame g equipped with wheels 9 to travelon rails g on the bottom of thepit. Thistruc'kmay be of any suitableconstruction and is preferably equipped with an" electric motor 9 andtransmission gearing gtdriven by the motor, for propelling the truckaudits load. V

The truck is equipped with a vertically r movable carriage H for raisingand lowering frame of carriage H, so that by conjoint rotationfof gearsh'the carriage and its load may be raised or lowered in the'pit. Thesegears are conjoiiitly operablebyoan electric secured to the frame ofthe'carriage H. Each gear [i is engaged by a worm. It? confinedlin theassociated ho'using It A shaft h is fixed to two of the worms at oneside of the carriage H, and a shaft h, fixed to theworms at theother-sideof said carriage. shaft h fisconnected to drive. each of theshafts [1 72] bya pair of bevel gears/t. "A belt hm, drivenjby the motorif, isconnected to drive the shaft it Motor ht is ofcthe reversibletype, so that wheirthe gears h? are Toft ated in" one direction theywill be operated to raise the drop table, and when rotated in reversedirection, they will beopferatedto lower the table." The carriage is fooadapted to engagethe underside of the droptableto support andlift it andistmovable ndependently of the table so it maybe lowered away from itwhenthetabl'e is locked.

' When the drop-table is equipped witha plurality of traclcsections, itis important that the carriage "H should be moved rectilinearly andequidistantly to prevent cramping between the worm-gears [L2, and thescrew-1 rods gFfF or :this purpose four guide posts 722) are provided;Each of said posts we is anchored in abracket mf. fixed to the frame gof the. truck G, and extends upwardly through a socketm which is securedto the underside of one pair of the beams h of the iframe of thecarriage H. These sockets are free to slide verticallyon the posts m toguide the carriage Hvertically,

The operation iSas followsi When a pair mechanism.

7 pended claims, without spirit and scope of the invention 1 of driversis to be removed from a loc0mo-- tive, or a truck is to be removed froma locomotive or car, the locomotive or car is run onto one of the tracksections 7" of the drop table which has been previously locked in itsposition to bridge two of the tracks A. A pairjof drivers or a truck forreplacing the unit to be removed will be run onto the other tracksection f of the drop table. If the truck is to be removed from the car,the vehicle is usually suspended by, and supported from, an overheadtravelling crane. The truck or drivers to be replaced are then unlockedfrom the vehicle. Next, the locking bars 7 are retracted byamanipulation of one of the levers 19, and the carriage H is lowered tothe bottom of the pit. The-truck with the carriage and drop tablethereon is then moved transversely of the tracks A to bring the driversor truck which is to replace the unit removed intoposition under thevehiclefor attachment thereto. After the wheeled unit has been attachedto the vehicle, the bars f will be operated to lock the tablesubstantially at track, level. In this position, the track section onwhich the replacement unit was shiftechbridges andcompletes the trackunder the vehicle and is operative to permit the vehicle topassthereover. VA characteristic and an advantage of a drop pitconstruction of the type herein disclosed is that only one shiftof'thetabl'e is necessary to-complete the replacement operation andafter such oneshift, the vehicle may be rolled away from the point ofrepair. The drop table may be operated above the track level if desiredin making. helattachment ofthe wheeled'unitto the vehicle. V

'Theinvention exemplifies a drop table "which'is provided with two tracksections to support theremoved unit and a replacement unit to expeditethe removal andreplacement ofthe wheel units from vehicles, such aslocomotives or "cars; also one in which the replacement unit maybe:placed onthe drop table in' readiness to be transported into positionfor attachment to the vehicle from which a like unit has been removed;also a drop table which is adapted to belockedadjacent the ends of allof the rails of two track sections to support properly the table so itwill carry .its l'o ad; and also one in which 7 the carriagefor'supporting and shifting the drop table is guidedby posts on thetruck independently of the raising and lowering The invention is not tobe understood as restricted, to the details set forth, since these maylie-modified within the'scope of the ap departing from the 7 I-Iavingthus described theinvention, what Iclaim as new and desire tosecure byLetters Patentfls; t I

1 In an equipment of the character de- "two tracks and to scribed ythecombinationwith a plurality" of tracks and anintersecting pit, of adroptable adapted'toberaised and lowered in the pit, extending across aplurality of the tracks,

2. In an equipment of the character described, the combination with aplurality of tracks and an ntersecting pit, of a drop table adapted tobe raised and loweredin the I pi-t, extending across a plurality ofthetracks,

track-sections to bridge be used interchangeably with such tracks,mechanism for locking and supporting the table in the pit,'a truckmovable in;'the pit,oand mechanism mounted on the truck for raising andlowering the table. 3. In an equipment of the characterdescribed,'thecombination with a plurality of tracks, andan"intersecting pit, of a droptable adaptedto be raised and lowered inthe pit, extending across a plurality'fof the tracks, and providedawithtrack-sections to bridge two tracks, mechanism for locking andsupporting the table in the pit, a carriage seps arable from the table,for raising and lowerand provided with ing it, a truck movable in thepit, and'mechabridge two Ira-15 vice for conj ointly 'nism movablewiththe truck for raising and lowering the carriage.

' scribed, the combinationwith of the character dea plurality of tracksand an intersectingpit, of a droptable adaptedto be raised and loweredin the pit and extending across a plurality of the tracks, and providedwith track-sections to 4. In an equipment the ends of the rails of bothtrack-sections for locking the table in the pit, a truck mov able in thepit, and mechanism movable with the truck for raising and lowering thetable.

5. In an equipment of the characteridescribed, the combination with aplurality of tracks and an intersecting pit, of a droptable adapted toberaised and lowered in the pit and extending across a plurality of thetracks, and provided with track-sections to bridge two tracks, lockingelements adjacent the ends of the rails of bothtrack-sections forlocking the table in the pit, a deoperating all of said ele ments, atruck movable in the pit, and mechanism movable with the truck forrai'sing'an lowering the table. 7

6. In an equipment of the character .described, the combination with aplurality'of tracksv and an intersecting pit, of a droptable adapted'tobe raised and lowered in theit and extending across a plurality of thetracks, and provided with track-sections to bridge two tracks, the endsof the rails of both track-sections for locking the table in the pit,levers at the sides of the'table, each connected to operate all oftable.

tracks, locking elements adjacent locking elements adjacent,

saidelements; a truck movable in thepit', and

mechanism movable with the truck for raising and lowering the table. I

7. In an equipment of the character described,'the combination with atrack and an intersecting pit, of a drop table movable vertically inthepit and transversely with respect to the track, said table beingprovided with rails forming two pairs of track-sections of uniform gaugeand operative to bridge interchangeably said track, one of thetrack-sections being adapted, when in bridging position, to have avehicle rolled thereover and to receive a wheeled unit from suchvehicle,"the.other track-section being adapted 'to have placed thereon alike wheeled unit and to be moved, upon manipulation of the table, intoregistry with the track. so that i said like unit may be connected tothe vehicle and the'latter rolled off the table, and mechanism forraising andlowering sai 8. In an equipment of the character described,the combination with a track andan intersecting pit, of a drop tablemovable verl:

.tically' in the pit and transversely with re- I spect to the track,said'table being provided with rails-forming two pairsof track-sectionsotuniitorm gaugefand operative to bridge interchangeably said track,oneof the tracksections being adapted, when in bridging position, to have avehicle rolle'd thereover and to receive a wheeled unit'fromsuchvehicle, the other track-section placed thereon,

moved uplon manipulation of the table, into registry. with, the. tracks'othat said like unit may be connected to the vehicle and the lattermutate the table', a truck separable fromjthe table and movablehorizontally in the V pit, ,mech'anism movable with the-truck for. rais-,ling and lowering the table, and, means for locking and supportingsaidtable in thefp'it' independentlyof said mechanism, a ';[9.1Inan vequipme't of the character 7 scribed, the ,combin ation with. a otrack and'anQintersecting pit, of a vertically in the pit and transversely with"respect to the v track, said :table being pro- 115 'horiZont'ally -inthe pit, and -niechanism" movdrop table movable;

leat gimvapiaced thereon alike wheeled unit andtobemoved,uponmanipulation 'of the I p able with the truckfor raising and loweringthe carriage.

spect to the track, said table being provided 7 with rails forming twopairs of track-sections of uniform gauge and operative to bridgeinterchangeably said track, one of the tr aclnsections being adapted,when in bridging position, to have a vehicle rolled thereover and toreceive a wheeled unit from such vehicle, the other tra'clesection beingadapted to have placed thereon a like wheeled unit and to be moved, uponmanipulation of the table, into registry with the track so that saidlike unitmay be connected to the vehicle and the latter rolled off thetable, a truck movable horizontally in the pit and provided withmechanism for raising and lowering the table, and guide posts wherebythe table is guided vertically independently of the raising and loweringmechanism,

saidposts be ing supported by the truck. 11. In an equipment of thecharacter described, the combination with a track and an intersectingpit, of a drop table movable vertically in the pit and transversely withrespect to the track, said table being provided Vciatedpne for nectedfrom the vehicle and on the other track-section away from said vehicleand the track-section on which the replacement unit has been placed intoregistry with the track under the vehicle sothat said replacement unitmay be connected in place and the vehicle rolled off the table, andmechanism for raising and lowering said table.

13. In an equipment of the character described, the combination with aplurality of tracks and an intersecting pit, of a drop table adapted tobe raised and lowered in the pit, asubstantially rectangularv truckmovable in the pit, a carriage for the table, mechanism for raising andlowering the carriage comprising four screw threaded rods mounted in andextending upwardly from the corners of the truck, and four verticallyextending guides for guiding the carriage during raising and loweringthereof, said guides being located atthe corners of the truck and assodone with the screw threaded Signed at Harvey, Illinois, this 25th day ofFebruary, 1928.

I WALTER NAGELL.

with rails forming two pairs of track-sections of uniform gauge andoperative to bridge I interchangeably said track,-one of thetracksections being adapted, when in bridging position,to have a vehiclerolled thereover and i to receive a wheeled unit from such vehicle,

the other track-section being adapted to have placed thereon a likewheeled unit and to be moved, upon manipulation of the table, into maybe connected tothe vehicle and the lat-.

"ter rolled off the table, a carriage separable from the table forraising and lowering the latter, a truck pit and provided with mechanismforraising lowering the raising and lowering mechanism.

" 129111 an equipment of the character-described, the combination with aplurality of tracks ofthe same gauge and anintersects in the pit andprovided with rails forming two traclesections of the same gauge as thetracks and operative to bridge two of the tracksand to be usedinterchangeably there with,one, of the track-sections being adapted,

movable horizontally in the the carriage, and vertical' guides supportedby the truck the carriage independently of registry with the track sothat said like unit l V for guiding pit, of a drop-table movablevertically connectionofvthe unit to a vehicle over the a v other rtracksection and track, said table being shiftable"transversely of thetracks'to move simultaneously a wheeled unit discon-

